My dog's eardrums are bulging. Is popping them necessary or safe?

It certainly sounds like this enlarged area on Bentley is infection, and I would be concerned that he has an abscess. I do not recommend popping it again yourself, as that introduces more infection into the area. He needs to see a vet for this, as he needs the area drained and cleaned sterilely, and he will need antibiotics to treat the infection. Please bring him into a vet tomorrow.

Have him examined by your veterinarian. There may be serious infection and possibly an aural hematoma if she has been shaking her head. A hematoma develops when a blood vessel is broken in the ear flap due to shaking. This results in an ear that looks like a small pillow. Treatment is typically surgical. An ear infection can be diagnosed by examining a swab of the ear under a microscope. This can be done in the clinic. Infection can be caused by bacteria, yeast or a combination of both. The treatment will depend on the cause. "Simple" ear infections can be treated topically and usually resolve within 10-14 days. Place an e-collar (cone) on Nicki to prevent rubbing or pawing until she sees the vet.

Hi there. I can't say for sure without being able to examine him, but what you're describing sounds like an aural hematoma - this is basically a pocket of blood in the ear flap. It's usually caused by the dog shaking his head or scratching at the ear due to an underlying ear infection or other problem, which can cause a blood vessel in the ear flap to tear. If he does have an aural hematoma, this can either be surgically drained by your veterinarian, or managed with anti-inflammatory medication and time until it eventually resolves on its own. I would recommend taking Herbie to the vet when you're able to, to confirm the diagnosis and see what your veterinarian suggests as the best course of action.

This looks like an aural hematoma, a condition where the space between the skin and the ear cartilage fills with blood. It most commonly occurs secondary to an ear infection. While a veterinarian needs to be involved to treat the hematoma and the underlying cause, it is not necessarily an emergency and I think it would be okay for the dog to wait a couple days if necessary as long as he isn't too uncomfortable. If your neighbor is out of town for more than a couple days you should take the dog to a vet.

If the ear looks like a small pillow, it could be a hematoma. Blood filling the ear will make it look puffy. The odor can be due to a severe ear infection. Excessive head shaking can cause a hematoma. Treatment is twofold. First, drain the ear or correctly via surgery then treat the underlying ear infection. Daisy will need to be examined by your veterinarian for confirmation and treatment. If it is not a hematoma, your veterinarian should be able to determine what is causing the condition after an exam and diagnostics.

Poor girl. This may be an infected mass or even a cyst. I would recommend having your vet take samples from this to be certain as to what is inside and perhaps the vet can also carefully drain it using a needle and syringe. In the meantime you can do alternating cold and warm compresses on the area for 5-10 minutes twice a day, if tolerated. Otherwise, your vet will need to get involved here to get this resolved. Best wishes with your pet Stormie and I hope you can get this source of discomfort taken care of soon for her. Take care.

That swelling is likely to be caused by an hematoma in between the cartilage of the ear (pinna) and the skin. An immediate check up is required as the swelling could potentially get worse and deteriorate. Primary cause of the otitis inside external ear canal must be identified and treated. Very commonly the gunk is caused by either an ear infection cause by bacteria or yeast proliferation. Ear drops and a buster collar will be required. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.